Blog Post

The Uniquely American Cocktail

Apr. 3, 2014

By Allen Katz, Former Chairman, Slowfood USA Board of Directors & Co-Founder, New York Distilling Company

What could be more Slow Food than the cocktail? To this day I can only name one other authentically American endeavor that
makes the grade — barbecue. Since I was invited to help announce the launch of Slow Food USA’s latest campaign, please humor me as I simply focus on the origins of the cocktail.

Distilling, of course, was not discovered in the new world. However, the idea of combining spirits with other ingredients is uniquely American. One of the most significant ingredients is ice! The American cocktail is a true gastronomic gift that is now being re-examined and celebrated both here at home and around the world.

When the contest is over, the Slow Food community, along with the help of expert tasters from around country, will have
selected
four mixologists, who best represent good, clean and fair values, to join the Slow Food USA delegation at Terra Madre.

The rules are simple. Anyone 21-years-old or over is eligible to enter and you do not need to be a professional bartender
to apply. Applicants must submit an original cocktail recipe that showcases any Ark of Taste product listed on the Ark of Taste USA online catalog
(i.e. Alaskan Birch Syrup,Meech’s Prolific Quince orShrub). Click here for the full list.
The cocktail must celebrate both Slow Foodiness and local food culture. A winning cocktail can range from anything from a
classic martini to a contemporary concoction. Keep in mind that taste is a critical ingredient!

There are a few more rules to
read about on the Slow Food Speakeasy webpage. You can
click here to apply. I can’t wait to see and taste the wonderful creations!

The Acerbic Mrs. Parker

By Allen Katz

Ingredients

2 oz Dorothy Parker American Gin

.25 oz Combier Orange Liqueur

.50 oz Sun Crest Peach Syrup

.50 oz Fresh Meyer Lemon Juice

To assemble this uniquely American cocktail, shake ingredients over ice and strain into collins glass filled with fresh
ice. Top with chilled club soda and garnish with a Meyer lemon wheel in the glass. Serve with a straw.